


The Vigil of Renegade X

by bluemandycat



Category: Renegade X Series - Chelsea M. Campbell
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, Rilien is my life mom, ghostbusting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-12-09 06:14:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11663316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluemandycat/pseuds/bluemandycat
Summary: Riley Perkins is volunteering for the Golden City Police Department, and he hates his job. Damien Locke has called the cops on Pete's ghost for a year now, and the cops are all sick of him. Riley is given his case. But a connection is forged, and they agree to bust this ghost together. But perhaps Damien wasn't wrong about Pete?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a really shitty au that I thought of, and blossomed into this. Enjoy.

Riley Perkins didn’t  _ hate  _ his job, exactly, but he sure didn’t like it.

 

Okay, that might have been a little bit of an overstatement. Volunteering at the Golden City Police Department  _ could  _ be fun sometimes, when he wasn’t just filing papers. For instance, he enjoyed it when he was sent out on an actual case as emotional support. He got to comfort little kids who had just had their house ransacked, or calm down old ladies who were held hostage. Helping people was nice. It made him feel like he was actually helping the world, which was the whole point of volunteering.

 

The shitty part of working at the police department was the cops. Most of the cops had been working for ten, twenty years, and they saw Riley as just another Heroesworth student looking to get in his community service hours and go. No matter how many times Riley insisted that he wanted to work and genuinely appreciated the cops, the captain still rolled his eyes and gave him the worst jobs available. Because he’s unpaid. Because he had to get 96 hours of community service in order to graduate.

 

So when Captain Barrett called Riley into his office and said that he was going to give him a case, Riley knew it couldn’t be anything good.

 

“This is a long-term case,” said the captain, opening his case file. “We’ve been managing this one for almost a year, but now it’s your responsibility to resolve.”

 

Riley squared his shoulders, trying to look more like a hero and less like a teenager wearing a badge. “Yes, sir.”

 

The captain squinted at him, like he’s genuinely trying to figure out if Riley is being sarcastic. “It concerns a boy about your age. A  _ villain  _ boy. Will this be a problem?”

 

“No, sir,” Riley said, although he swallowed. If this kid turned out to be a problem, Riley wouldn’t have much ammo in a fight. His power of invisibility was mostly defensive.

 

“Good. The boy is named Damien Locke. He’s seventeen years old, and for the past year he has called every week to tell us he’s being haunted.”

 

Riley blinked. “Haunted?”

 

The captain nodded. “According to his mother, he witnessed a close friend die in a gruesome way. We believe that he’s convinced himself that he’s being haunted because he never got closure.”

 

“Why don’t you get him the help that he clearly needs? A grief counselor, maybe?”

 

The captain shrugged. “We’ve tried. But his mother doesn’t believe in institutionalization, and since Mr. Locke is a minor, we need his legal guardian’s permission before we act.”

 

Riley exhaled. “So you’ve tried everything, and now you’re sticking me with this case? What do you want me to do?”

 

The captain nearly smiled as he passed the case file over to Riley. “That’s your problem now.”

 

Riley took the folder, said his goodbyes, and left. The second he was out of the office, he sighed, long and hard.

 

This was definitely a story he was going to tell his grandkids one day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gruesome Twoesome meet!

Damien’s house was nondescript, if a bit run-down. Could have used a fresh coat of paint and a gardener to trim the thorny mass of roses, but that was typical for a villain house.

 

Riley was nervous. Like, really nervous. He didn’t even look like a real cop, since as a volunteer he didn’t have a uniform. He might as well be knocking on their door and asking if they want Girl Scout Cookies.

 

By some miracle, Riley managed to clamber his way through the thorns without getting seriously injured. However, he did manage to fall messily onto the front doorstep, and he prayed that nobody was watching through the windows.

 

When he rung the doorbell, he heard the faint sound of a fire alarm from somewhere in the bowels of the house. After a couple of minutes, he heard a woman grumbling, and then the door is half-opened. The woman has flaming red hair and an awful scowl on her face. She is very clearly a villain.

 

“Excuse me?” asked Riley, his voice trembling. “Is Damien home?”

 

“And who are you?” retorted the woman.

 

“I’m--uh--I’m Riley Perkins,” he stammered. “From the police.” He gestured vaguely at his volunteer badge.

 

The woman blinked at him. “I’m Damien’s mom. I’ll get him.” She turned around and yelled over her shoulder. “Damien!”

 

“What?” a muffled voice demanded.

 

“The cops are here. Again.” Damien’s mom looked Riley up and down. “They sent a teenager this time.”

 

Riley heard a loud and drawn out groan, and then a, “Fine,” followed by footsteps. Damien’s mom opened the door all the way, to reveal her son. She nodded once at Riley, said, “He’s all yours,” and then retreated back into the house. So much for a warm welcome.

 

Damien leaned on the doorframe and studied Riley. Riley studied him right back. He was cute, in a scruffy way. He looked stressed, with huge eyebags underneath striking green eyes. His black hair hadn’t been brushed or styled in a long time, and although he was only two inches shorter than Riley, his slouch made him look three inches shorter.

 

“Um, hi,” Riley began. “I’m Riley Perkins.”

 

Damien looked him up and down. “I see what the cops are trying to do.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“They’re creeped out by my ‘guys in uniform’ kink, so they send a guy in civvies.” Damien threw his arms up. “I get it! I’m onto them!”

 

Riley blinked, slightly shocked. “Wait, are you saying you’d...flirt...with the cops?”

 

“Oh, big time,” said Damien. “Makes ‘em super uncomfortable. Serves them right. Think I’m crazy anyways.”

 

Riley paused, processing this. After a solid thirty seconds, he cracked, and collapsed into a fit of giggles. Damien frowned at him.

 

“You okay? Is my insanity contagious?” he said sarcastically.

 

“I’m sorry!” Riley gasped between laughs. “I just wasn’t expecting that!” When he had composed himself after a couple of minutes, he added, “Sorry, that was unprofessional. I just...a lot of the cops I work with are dicks. Serves them right.”

 

Damien, who was leaning up against the doorframe, said, “And what makes you any better?” A small smile played at his lips.

 

“Well, for one, the other cops don’t invite you out to coffee,” said Riley.

 

Now it was Damien’s turn to look shocked. “Huh?”

 

Riley shrugged. “You look terrible. I’d guess you haven’t slept regularly in...twenty-four hours?”

 

“Twenty-two,” Damien said hollowly. “Although I’ve grabbed a few naps. Which I why I’m not hallucinating.”

 

“Right,” said Riley. “Besides, I’m not sure I’m welcome in your house.”

 

Damien snorted. “That’s for damn sure.”

 

“Thanks,” Riley said as sarcastically as he could. “So, coffee?”

 

Damien sighed, a long, drawn-out sigh. “Fine.”

 

“Great,” said Riley. “I know a great place near the park.” He turned around to clamber back through the rosebushes.

 

Damien tapped him on the shoulder, and said, “You know, if you’re taking me out, you might as well not have to crawl through thorns.” He jerked a thumb behind him. “There’s a side door. No roses required.” At Riley’s astonished look, he rolled his eyes and said, “Well, I’m not a total asshole.”

 

Riley turned around, and his smile could have brightened the darkest night.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos/comments/messages to bluemandycat on tumblr keep me writing chapters!


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